movies: cars 3

It's not really any great secret that the Cars series is my least favourite Pixar subset of movies, but Cars 3 is possibly the best of the bunch.

My main problem with the first Cars movie was that it was incredibly predictable plot-wise. The second one I enjoyed a lot more, but it is incredibly goofy.

The third outing manages to combine an effective and moving story with less wacky humour but with stunning visuals.

Like the first one, this is Lightning McQueen's story, but this time it's about what happens when "the up and comer" becomes "the veteran"... and given that the first movie came out in 2006, it seems appropriate.

Once again, the story feels a little predictable in a way that other Pixar movies don't, but I'm not sure if that was because I'd read or seen something about the story, or if it was just that obvious after a certain point. This time though I didn't mind as much, possibly because it was a more interesting story.

I will also say that this is, without a doubt, the most beautiful Pixar movie since The Good Dinosaur. Water, plants, lighting, weather effects, everything. It's all gorgeous, especially once they head across the country.

Part of the problem with this series has always been that it's hard to pay off the large cast of characters from the original movie, which they've done in both of the sequels by mostly isolating a character with a couple of new cast members. In this case it's mostly Cristela Alonzo as Cruz Ramirez. But also, hats off to Nathan Fillion for his second Pixar role.

And I'll admit, I did get a little choked up towards the end, which is pretty much to be expected from a Pixar movie, if not necessarily from a Cars movie.

Oh, and the short that precedes this one is called Lou, and I think it's the most beautiful and emotive short they've made yet.